Getty Kyle Shanahan during August 25, 2022 preseason game at Houston.
The San Francisco 49ers are facing the possibility of being one less a valuable All-Pro option for Sunday, September 11 versus the Chicago Bears.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan, though, sounds optimistic on who he can turn to in the potential absence of George Kittle — even calling this particular reserve player one he’s been a fan of for quite some time.
And one insider has reason to believe that the Niners will lean heavily on this target who was once given an $18.75 million contract in 2019 if Kittle isn’t cleared.
Shanahan has been a ‘Big Fan’ Since College
The Athletic’s David Lombardi listed Tyler Kroft as a name to watch for on Sunday as Kittle nurses a groin injury.
“If Kittle doesn’t play, the 49ers will likely lean heavily on veteran tight end Tyler Kroft alongside Charlie Woerner and Ross Dwelley,” Lombardi wrote in his “10 Observations” feature released on Friday, September 9.
While the free agent pickup Kroft has never been considered a TE1 for any of the NFL teams he’s played on, especially with not producing a single 50-catch season in his seven seasons in the league per Pro Football Reference, it wasn’t that long ago he put together a seven-touchdown campaign.
“Kroft caught 42 passes for the Bengals in 2017,” Lombardi wrote, which was also the season he scored seven touchdowns before enduring injury-riddled seasons afterwards. “Though injuries limited him to just nine games with the Jets last season, Kroft played under offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur — who’d previously worked under Shanahan — and that afforded him a head start in picking up the 49ers’ system.”
And it turns out Shanahan has long been a fan of Kroft — even dating back to the 6-foot-6, 252-pounder’s Piscataway, New Jersey days.
“We’ve been a fan of Kroft his whole career,” Shanahan said to the Bay Area media on Wednesday, September 7. “I was a real big fan of him coming out of college [Kroft played at Rutgers]. And he’s done well everywhere he’s been. He had some injury trouble last year. I think the last couple years he’s struggled to stay out there. I think that’s one of the reasons we were able to get him.”
‘Glad We Kept 4’
On Friday around 2 p.m. Pacific, Lombardi helped notice Kittle inside the locker room and gave this update:
George Kittle just now in the 49ers locker room: He’s “feeling significantly better” with his groin injury than he did earlier in the week and “will do everything (he) can” to play vs the Bears Sunday
Whether if the perennial Pro Bowler plays or not, Shanahan has confidence in the man he’s loved watching since being a Scarlet Knight.
“But Kroft, he’s an NFL tight end. We feel very fortunate to have him here,” Shanahan said. “That was one of the hard decisions whether to go heavy at tight end, heavy at running back. You never know what’s going to happen until after someone gets hurt. I wish we could have kept all our running backs, wish we could keep all our tight ends, but Kroft made it, so we went there.”
Outside of his 2017 play in Cincy, Kroft was once a security blanket for Josh Allen while with the Buffalo Bills — also the team that gave him a three-year, $18,750,000 deal before settling for two seasons there.
The @BuffaloBills take the lead on the TD pass to Tyler Kroft!
7:55 remaining. #GoBills
📺: #BUFvsPIT on NBC
📱: NFL app // Yahoo Sports app
Watch free on mobile: t.co/NdeLpshk54
He scored four touchdowns as a Bill, including this sneaky designed screen inside the red zone:
.@BuffaloBills extend their lead before the half!
Tyler Kroft is left wide open in the flat for six. @Kroft86 @JoshAllenQB #BillsMafia
📺: #LARvsBUF on FOX
📱: NFL app // Yahoo Sports app: https://t.co/9RobDGGsOD
But he adds this element for Shanahan and quarterback Trey Lance: Pass protector outside of passing option.
Tyler Kroft can protect the QB!
Kittle remains unlikely to play. But his injury is why Shanahan overloaded at tight end including one the sixth-year head coach has long admired.
“I’m glad we kept four, just with Kittle getting banged up this week, we rarely carry four into the game, so we’ll see how that goes,” Shanahan said. “But if Kittle can’t make it, I’m glad that we kept an extra one on our roster.”